Beth Armitage’s article published in the Family Law Journal

An article by Beth Armitage has been published on familylaw.co.uk and is accessible to users with an appropriate Lexis account.

‘You’re over-reacting’: how to identify and deal with gaslighting and controlling behaviour in private children cases.

In addition to being accessible online, the full article will also be published in the July edition of Family Law.

A synopsis of the article can be found below:

‘You’re just crazy’ ‘I never said that. You have a terrible memory’

These are just two examples of gaslighting phrases commonly used in cases where a party is making allegations of domestic abuse, however until the case of Re B-B (Domestic Abuse: Fact-Finding) (Rev1) [2022] EWHC 108 (Fam) the courts had little to no recognition of the term gaslighting to describe this form of behaviour.

This article aims to explore the question: what even is gaslighting? It considers the new concept of gaslighting, a form of domestic abuse which is becoming increasingly common in family law cases. This article considers how to properly assess the impact of gaslighting on a client within family law cases and how to present their case effectively using the principles set out in the case of Re H-N [2021] EWCA Civ 448.

Further, this article explores the case of Re B-B and how this case is a ‘milestone hearing’ which properly analyses the meaning of the word gaslighting and makes findings against one of the parties’ for having ‘gaslit’ his ex-partner.